KATHMANDU, Jan 3: Former Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has expressed support for the proposal made by Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa in the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee on Thursday. Bhattarai shared a video on social media platform X, where Thapa, along with CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, is seen discussing the proposal. Bhattarai conveyed his agreement with Thapa’s stance.
In his post, Bhattarai criticized high-ranking officials who have been involved in corruption scandals but later present themselves as anti-corruption advocates. He likened the situation to a pickpocket calling out ‘thief’ after committing the crime, adding that it is ironic for such individuals to lead anti-corruption efforts.
Reforming Anti-Corruption Legislations
Bhattarai said, “I find Gagan Thapa’s views on this matter to be quite fitting. This should be a national debate, and meaningful consensus should be reached.”
Thapa had emphasized the need for discussions on corruption in Nepal. He pointed out that corruption often becomes a weapon for political attacks, with accusations flying when parties wish to discredit one another. Thapa suggested inviting former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba, KP Sharma Oli, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal to a meeting to discuss the corruption cases, opening the files and addressing the issues together. He said the public is often confused by the intermittent release of corruption files, and a focused dialogue on the matter is necessary.
